The present invention relates to collars for retaining weights on a weight bar in the sport of weight lifting.
It is important that weights be securely retained on weight bars in the sport of weight lifting. It is also important that a weight lifter be able to quickly and easily change the number and size of weights, so that a good work out can be accomplished in a desired amount of time. Quick release collars and retainers are often used for this purpose. However, since weights and weight lifting equipment are, by definition, heavy, collars and other retainers tend to get damaged and wear out over time.
More specifically, many different retention devices have been made for retaining weights on weight bars in the sport of weight lifting. For example, some quick-release collars use a locking member with fingers that extend parallel the weight bar, and have a nut that slips over an end of the weight bar onto the fingers. The nut tightens the fingers onto the weight bar as the nut is rotated. By this arrangement, the fingers generate substantial friction to hold the weights on the weight bar. However, the fingers bend and wear out, the nuts wear out and/or become damaged, and hence the nuts on these collars lose their ability to rotate easily, and/or the collars generally lose their ability to be easily placed on the weight bar and tightened into a secure locking position. Another quick-release device includes a coiled section of spring steel rod designed to slip onto and frictionally engage an end of a weight bar. This quick-release device can be squeezed to open the coiled section and release the quick-release device for movement onto an end of a weight bar. When released, the coiled section springs back to a retaining position where the coil portion grips the weight bar. However, the coils bend open over time and/or lose their strength over time for various reasons, such that the devices no longer securely grip a weight bar. This can be a safety problem, since a strength of retention is lost slowly over time and may not be noticed until a problem occurs.
Accordingly, a collar is desired that solves the aforementioned problems and that has the aforementioned advantages.